Metal product container

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a container having at least one sidewall with an inner surface and an outer surface. A bottom wall connects to the side wall to form an enclosure. The inner surface and the bottom wall define some of the boundaries of a cavity that is formed within the container. A lid is designed to attach to a portion of sidewall where an opening is defined of the cavity. An oxygen/moisture diminishing material is disposed within the container. The oxygen/moisture diminishing material absorbs and retains, in some instances immobilizes, a liquid/gas material inside the container for shipping.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0001] The present patent application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/558,982 filed Apr. 27, 2000; which relies on the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/184,917, filing date of Feb. 25, 2000.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to containers for shipping metallic products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] There is a need for shipping containers that are suitable for shipping metal products in an oxygen diminished environment and/or moisture diminished environment.

[0004] Desiccant packages, shaped like a sugar packet have been inserted into containers to ship metal products. These desiccant packages diminish the oxygen and the moisture in containers. The desiccant packages having an outer layer and inner contents of conventional desiccant material. When the packet is to be used, it is inserted within an outer container, i.e., a conventional tin can.

[0005] A problem with this prior art system is that the small package does not diminish the oxygen and the moisture to a sufficient level for adequate shipping. the present invention solves this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention meets the above-described need by providing a container having at least one sidewall with an inner surface and an outer surface. A bottom wall connects to the side wall to form an enclosure. The inner surface and the bottom wall define some of the boundaries of a cavity that is formed within the container. A lid is designed to attach to a portion of sidewall where an opening is defined of the cavity. An oxygen/moisture diminishing material is disposed within the container. The oxygen/moisture diminishing material absorbs and retains, in some instances immobilizes, certain gases, like oxygen, or water, or liquids like water, that are found within the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures of which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the container of the present invention with the lid removed;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a cut-away side view of the container;

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first alternate embodiment of the present invention; and,

[0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] In FIG. 1 a container 10 having a side wall 13, a lid 22, and a bottom wall 16 that defines the boundaries of a cavity 8 is shown. The side wall 13, as shown, is cylindrical and defines the side boundaries of the cavity 8. The bottom wall 16 is planar and defines the bottom boundary of the cavity 8. Other shapes would also be suitable for these elements, for example, wall 13 can have a polygon shape and wall 16 corresponds to the shape of wall 13 except it can be planar as shown in FIG. 1, indented into the cavity as shown in FIG. 3, or protrude beyond the wall 13. Also, the side wall 13 and bottom wall 16 may be constructed of any suitable material such as cardboard, wood, plastic, or metal.

[0014] The bottom wall 16 closes off one end of the container 10. At the opposite end, an opening 19 is defined at the end of the side wall 13. A lid 22 attaches to the open end of the container 13 and is designed to define the top boundary of the cavity 8.

[0015] The lid 22 may be provided with a ribbed surface 23 for easier gripping. The lid 22 may also be provided with a set of internal threads capable of engaging with a set of external threads 24, as shown in FIG. 2, disposed on the container 13. Alternatively, the lid 22 could attach to a set of internal threads 25 or internal ribs (not shown.) The lid 22 may be freely removable or it may be a conventional one-way locking lid such that once the lid 22 is attached to the container 10 it cannot be removed without evidence of the lid being tampered with.

[0016] The lid 22 and container 10 may be provided with a lock that does not allow the lid 22 to be removed without creating a visual indication of the fact that it has been removed, tampered with or it may cause damage to the container 10. The lid 22 may be constructed from a translucent or transparent material so the contents of the container 10 can be viewed without opening the lid 22.

[0017] Turning to FIG. 3, in a first embodiment the side wall 13 is covered with an oxygen/moisture diminishing material 25. When a liquid and/or gas contacts the material 25, the material 25 absorbs and then retains gases, like oxygen and moisture, and liquids, preferably aqueous solutions. An example of material 25 is silica gel, (Gelok X-540 A/A, or Gelok X-422 N/N), clay composition known as Gelok X-542 A/A, desiccant known as Gelok X-387 N/N, EDTA from Gelok X-427 N/N, and activated carbon (Gelok 5038 A/A).

[0018] In one embodiment, the material 25 is bonded to the side wall 13 by a conventional adhesive(s) or the like.

[0019] In FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment of the invention is shown where the material 25 is disposed on the bottom wall 16. In a preferred embodiment, the material 25 may be disposed on both the side wall 13 and the bottom wall 16. To ensure the material 25 absorbs and retains the desired moisture and gases-oxygen.

[0020] In another alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the container 10 has an additional layer 28 of a water and gas permeable material. Layer 28 is any conventional water permeable material, such as starch paper, polyvinyl acetate, water-soluble synthetic polymer films and water-soluble natural polymers. Examples of water/gas permeable synthetic polymer films include partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol, polyethers, such as polyethylene oxide and the like, polyvinylpyrolidone, ethylenically unsaturated acids, such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, and polymers formed from the salts thereof.

[0021] Examples of water/gas permeable semisynthetic polymer films include cellulose derivatives, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and starch derivative such as cyclodextrin. As for the water soluble natural polymers, those include carrageena, starch, gelatin, and chitin.

[0022] The layer 28 attaches to predetermined portions of the side wall 13 and, in some cases, the bottom wall. The material 25 is contained between the side wall 13 and the layer 28.

[0023] In operation, the layer 28 dissolves when a liquid/gas material contacts or allows the liquid/gas to penetrate through the layer 28. The liquid/gas then contacts the material 25 which absorbs and then retains the liquid/gas as described above. After the liquid is retained, the liquid/gas can be extracted from the material 25 through a process that is described in another U.S. patent application that is licensed to the assignee of this application.

[0024] Accordingly, in some instances it may be desirable to have the additional layer 28 cover the material 25 until a metal product is deposited into the container 10.

[0025] As an option and in order to avoid the possibility of contamination, the container 10 may be constructed of a size and shape that is suitable for specific purposes. The container 10 need not have a fixed bottom wall 16, as shown in FIG. 1. Instead, the bottom wall 16 could be a seal of the sidewalls as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,087.

[0026] Once the metal product is placed in the container 10, the lid 22 is attached to the top of the container 10 by screwing or snapping it onto the end of the side wall 13 of the container 10. As discussed above, the lid 22 may be a standard removable type with a set of threads capable of engaging with threads disposed on the container 10. As an alternative, the container 10 can also be provided with a locking lid that will provide a visual indication if the lid is tampered with before it is received at its predetermined destination. Another alternative is to have a locking lid of the type where it cannot be removed without a special tool. If the lid 22 is removed without the tool, damage to the container 10 will occur and it will be obvious that the container 10 has been tampered with.

[0027] Once the container 10 is received at its destination, the metal product is removed and if desired the entrapped gases and moisture in material 25, can be separated from the material 25 through an osmosis process without any adverse ingredients being incorporated in the formerly entrapped material.

[0028] The present invention can also have a lid that seals from the side walls coming together, as shown on commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,087.

[0029] Accordingly, the present invention provides a container for shipping a metal product and also provides a method for shipping such products without adverse effects from moisture and certain gases.

[0030] Alternatively, the lid 22 can be a conventional, non-locking, non-tamper-evident lid that merely covers the container 10. For example, it could just slip on to the container 10.

[0031] While the invention has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A container, comprising: at least one sidewall having an inner surface defining the outer side boundary of a cavity and an outer surface designed to receive a lid which defines the top boundary of the cavity; a bottom wall connected to the at least one side wall and defining the bottom boundary of the cavity; and oxygen/moisture diminishing material disposed on at least the sidewall or the bottom wall of the container, the oxygen/moisture material absorbs and retains the liquid and predetermined gaseous material within the container until a predetermined time.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed on the inner surface of the at least one sidewall.
 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed on the bottom wall.
 4. The container of claim 1, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed on the inner surface of the sidewall and on the bottom wall.
 5. The container of claim 1, further comprising a layer of a water/gas permeable film superimposed and bonded to predetermined portions of the inner surface of the at least one side wall, the water/gas permeable film dissolves when the liquid material contacts the film.
 6. The container of claim 5, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed between the film and the inner surface of the sidewall.
 7. The container of claim 1, further comprising a layer of a water/gas permeable film superimposed and bonded to predetermined portions of the bottom wall liquid material, the water/gas permeable film penetrates when the liquid material penetrates the film.
 8. The container of claim 7, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed between the film and the bottom wall.
 9. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid locks to the container so that once the lid is attached it cannot be removed without providing a visual indication that the lid has been tampered.
 10. The container of claim 9, wherein the lid cannot be removed without damaging the container.
 11. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid is removable.
 12. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid is translucent.
 13. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid is transparent.
 14. A container, comprising: at least one sidewall having an outer surface that is designed to receive a lid which defines and an inner surface that defines a side boundary of the cavity, the inner surface having an oxygen/moisture diminishing material disposed thereon, the oxygen/moisture material is designed to absorb and retain a liquid/gas material found in the container; a bottom wall connected to the at least one sidewall which defines the bottom boundary of the opening; and, a lid attached to a portion of the sidewall where an opening to the cavity is defined, the lid having a lock such that once the lid is attached it cannot be removed without providing a visual indication thereof.
 15. The container of claim 14, wherein the lid is translucent.
 16. The container of claim 14, wherein the lid is transparent.
 17. A method for shipping a metal product, comprising: providing a container having at least one sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, a bottom wall connected to the at least one side wall, a lid attachable to a portion of sidewall where an opening is defined, and an oxygen/moisture diminishing material disposed inside the container, the oxygen/moisture material absorbs and retains the liquid/gas material found in the container until a predetermined time; depositing the metal product into the container so that the oxygen/moisture material absorbs and retains the gas and liquid; and, attaching the lid to the portion of the sidewall adjacent to the opening.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the lid has a lock so that the lid cannot be removed from the container without providing a visual indication thereof.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed on the inner surface of the at least one sidewall.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed on the bottom wall.
 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed on the inner surface of the sidewall and on the bottom wall.
 22. The method of claim 17, wherein the container further comprises a layer of a water/gas permeable film superimposed and bonded to predetermined portions of the inner surface of the at least one side wall, the liquid/gas material permeates through the water/gas permeable film when the liquid/gas material contacts the film.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the absorbent material is disposed between the film and the inner surface of the sidewall.
 24. The method of claim 17, further comprising a layer of a water/gas permeable film superimposed and bonded to the bottom wall, the liquid/gas material permeates through the water/gas permeable film when the liquid/gas material contacts the film.
 25. The method of claim 27, wherein the oxygen/moisture material is disposed between the film and the bottom wall. 